Fast Radio Bursts from Magnetars Born in Binary Neutron Star Mergers and Accretion Induced Collapse

Understand

Recently born magnetars are promising candidates for the engines powering fast radio bursts (FRBs).

• The focus thus far has been placed on millisecond magnetars born in rare core-collapse explosions, motivated by the star forming dwarf host galaxy of the repeating FRB 121102, which is remarkably similar to the hosts of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) and long gamma-ray bursts (LGRB).
• However, long-lived magnetars may also be created in binary neutron star (BNS) mergers, in the small subset of cases with a sufficiently low total mass for the remnant to avoid collapse to a black hole, or in the accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of a white dwarf.
• A BNS FRB channel will be characterized by distinct host galaxy and spatial offset distributions than the SLSNe/LGRB channel; we anticipate a similar host population, although possibly different offset distribution for AIC events.